Machine for preparing printing-plates.



J. S. DUNCAN.

MACHINE FOR PREPARING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1915.

1,269,41 5. Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

2 SHE ETSSHEET I.

J. S. DUNCAN.

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R. B 1915- 1,2U9A1 5. Patented Dec. 19,1916.

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JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ADDRESSOGRAPHCOMPANY,

' OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

MACHINE ron PREPARING PRINTING-PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1916.

Application filed March 8, 1915. Serial No. 12,755.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH S. DUNCAN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Machines for Preparing Printing-Plates, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to machines for curving, flanging and otherwisepreparing sheet metal printing plates so that they Wlll conform to thecurvature of a cylindrical bed, with the fastening flanges in properrelation thereto, and present a type surface of uniform height whenmounted thereon.

It is an object of my invention to provide a strong and durable machineof light and simple construction, which may be readily operated and willeasily curve a printing plate uniformly throughout its length at asingle operation.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means for reducingthe struckup characters on the printing plate to a uniform heightsimultaneously with the curving operation.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a device which willautomatically produce a flange of desired form at the end of the plateduring the operation of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood by reference to the following specification when readin connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation of the device with a printing plat in position .to beginthe curving operation; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partially in section,showing the device and the printing plate thereon near the close of theoperation; Fig. 3 is a plan view of thedevice; Fig. 4 is a verticalsection through the device with the curving roller disposedapproximately midway of its travel, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged verticalsection on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a support of any suitableconstruction, preferably a hollow casting, and 2 a curved base securedthereto by a bolt 3. Pivotally mounted on the shaft 4 concentricallywith the base 2 is a bifurcated member 5 having an operating handle 6. Aroller 7, having a plurality of flanges 8 on the face thereof,

is mounted on the shaft 9, secured in the oppositely disposed arms ofthe bifurcated member 5, and is adapted to move concentrically about thecurved base 2 and to press the printing plate 10 into engagementtherewith as the member 5 is turned about its pivot.

The printing plate 10 is provided with a hook-shaped portion 11 at oneend, and a slot 12, having an undercut portion 13, is disposedtransversely of the base 2 and adapted to receive the hooked-shapedportion 11 to secure one end of the printing plate 10 to the base 2. Aslot 14 is disposed in the base 2 circumferentially thereof and adaptedto receive the longitudinal flange 15 on the printing plate 10 to insureproper alinement of the printing plate with refercure to the base 2.

The operative face of the base 2, measured from the slOt 12 issubstantially equal to the length of a finished printing plate and endsin an abutment 16. Pivoted at 17 on the base 2, adjacent the abutment16, is a clamping member 18, having an end 19 adapted to coiiperate withthe abutment 16 and to bend the end of the printing plate inwardlyagainst the abutment 16 when the roller 7 nears the end of its traveland passes onto the clamping member 18. A spring 20, secured to theinner face of the clamping member 18 at 21 and to the base 2 at 22,normally holds the clamping member 18 in the position indicated in Figs.1 and 5. It is necessary, however, to move the clamping member 18 intoengagement with the end of the printing plate 10 as the roller 7approaches the end of its travel and for this purpose I provide a pairof dogs 23 pivotally mounted at 24 on .the arms of the bifurcated member5 and having tooth-shaped ends 25 adapted to coiiperate with thedepressions 26 in the tails 27 of the clamping member 18. The dogs 23are normally held in proper position by the springs 28, secured theretoat 29, and to the arms of the bifurcated member 5 at 30.

It is believed that the operation of my device will be readily apparentwithout further description of the structure thereof. It is to beunderstood that the printing plates 10 are prepared by striking lines ofprint- .ing characters upward from the surface thereof, the plates beingprovided with the hook-shaped end portions 11 and'the longitudinalflanges 15. A plate 10 is inserted in the machine, aS indicated in Fig.1, with the flange 15 engaging the slot 14, and the bi furcated member 5is actuated to move the roller 7 concentrically about the base 2,whereby the plate is bent to conform tothe curvature of the base 2. Theflanges 8 enheight simultaneously with the bending operation.

As the roller 7 approaches the end of its travel the teeth 25 of thedogs 23 enter the depressions 26 in the tails 27 of the clamping member18 and move the clamping memher to a position in which the end 19engages the printing plate and is disposed in the path of the roller 7.As the roller 7 passes onto the clamping member 18, the latter is forcedinwardly and cooperating with the abutment 16 bends the plate 10inwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, to form a flange thereon, which issubsequently utilized in fastening the printing plate upon the bed of aprinting machine. The springs 28 allow the continued movement of thebifurcated member 5 after the teeth 25 engage the clamping member 18 andat the end of the operation the teeth 25 slip past the tails 27 of theclamping member 18 and the end 19 is moved outwardly by the spring 20 tofree the printing plate so that it may be readily removed from themachine and the roller 7 returned to its first position to commence anew operation.

It will be readily understood that I have devised a simple andinexpensive machine which combines, in a single operation, the steps ofcurving a printing plate, reducing the printing characters thereon to auniform height and fproducing a fastening flange at the end the plate.By the use of my device I am enabled to produce printing plates of amore uniform character than has heretofore been possible, while at thesame time reducing the number of necessary operations and the consequentcost of preparing the plates.

It will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its materialadvantages, the form hereinbefore disclosed being merely one preferredembodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, and a member mounted to move concentrically about said base andprovided with a plurality of spaced flanges to engage a printing platebetween the lines of printing characters thereon and bend it about saidbase as said member is moved.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, and a roller mounted to move concentrically about said base andprovided with a plurality of spaced flanges to en age a printing platebetween the lines o printmg characters thereon and bend it about saidbase as said roller is moved.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, a roller having a plurality of spaced flanges adapted to engagebetween the lines of printing characters on a printing plate disposed onsaid base, and means for moving said roller concentrically about saidbase to bend said printing plate to conform with said base.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support,a curved base fixedly mounted thereon, a roller having a plurality ofspaced flanges adapted to engage between the lines of printingcharacters on a printing plate disposed on said base, and means formoving said roller concentrically about said base to bend said printingplate to conform with said base.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, means for securing one. end of a printing plate to said base, anda member mounted to move concentrically about said base and providedwith a plurality of spaced flanges to engage said printing plate betweenthe lines of printing characters and bend it about said base as saidmember is moved.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, a slot therein adapted to receive a hook, provided at one end of aprinting plate, whereby the end of said printing plate is secured tosaid base, and a roller mounted to move concentrically about said baseand provided with a plurality of spaced flanges to engage said printingplate between the lines of printing characters thereon and bend it aboutsaid base as said member is moved.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, an undercut slot therein adapted to .receive a hook, provided atone end of a printing plate, whereby the end of said printing plate issecured to said base, a roller provided with a plurality of spacedflanges to engage said printing plate between the lines o printingcharacters thereon, and means for moving said roller concentricallyabout said base to bend said printing plate to conform with said base.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, a member pivotally mounted concentrically with said base, andmeans carried thereby and provided with a plurality of spaced flanges toengage between the lines of printing characters on a printing platedlsposed on said thereby and provided with a plurality of thecombination of a 0111 spaced flanges to engage said printing platebetween the lines of printing. characters thereon and bend it thereaboutas said member is moved about its pivot.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, means for securing one end of a printing plate to said base, amember pivotally mounted concentrically with said base, a roller'carried thereby and provided with a plurality of spaced flanges toengage said printing plate between the lines of printing charactersthereon and bend it thereabout as said mem her is moved about its pivot,and means for insuring the proper alinement of said plate with respectto said base.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of asupport, a curved base mounted thereon, means on said base for securingone end of a printing plate thereto, a bifurcated -member pivotallymounted concentrically with said base, a roller mounted in saidbifurcated member and provided with a plurality of spaced flanges toengage said printing plate between the lines of printing charactersthereon and bend it about said member as said bifurcated mem: her ismoved about its pivot 12. In a device of the chara ter described, (1base for a printing plate, having p nting characters struck uptherefrom, and means movable concentrically about said base and adaptedto reduce said characters to a uniform height.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase and a member mounted to move concentrically about said base andadapted to engage a printing plate, disposedthe'reon and having printingcharacters struck up therefrom, to bend it about said base and tosimultaneously and automatically reduce said characters to a uniformheight.

14. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, a member pivotally mounted concentrically with said base, and aroller carried thereby and adapted to engage a printing plate, disposedthereon and having printing charac ters struck up therefrom, to bendsaid plate about said base and to simultaneously and automaticallyreduce said characters to a uniform height.

. i 15. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a curved base, a member pivotally mountedconcentrically with said base, and a roller carried thereby and adaptedto engage a printing plate, disposed thereon and having lines ofprinting characters struck up therefrom, to bend it about said baseandto simultaneously and automatically reduce said characters to auniform height, said roller being provided with means to engage saidplate between said lines of characters.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, means for securing one end of a printing plate, having printingcharacters struck up therefrom, to said base, and a member mounted tomove concentrically about said base and adapted to engage said printingplate, to bend said plate about said base and to simultaneously andautomatically reduce said characters to a uniform height.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, means for securing one end of a printing plate, having printingcharacters struck up therefrom, to said base, a member mounted to moveconcentrically about said base and adapted to engage said printing plateto bend said plate about said base and to simultaneously andautomatically reduce said characters to a uniform height, and means forinsuring the proper alinement of said plate with respect to said base.

18, In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, means for bending a printing plate about said base, and meansactuated by said bending means to automatically produce a flange on saidlate. p 19. In a device of the character described, the combination of acurved base, a.member movable concentrically about said base and adaptedto engage with and bend a printing plate about said base, means formoving said member, and means actuated by said member to automaticallyproduce a flange on said plate.

20. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, a roller movable concentrically about said base and adapted toengage with and bend a printing plate about said base, means for movingsaid roller, and means actuated by said roller to automatically producea flange on said plate.

21. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, a member pivotally mounted concentrically with said base, a rollercarried thereby and adapted to engage with and bend a printin plateabout said base, and means for clampmg the end of said plate and adaptedto depress a portion thereof to form a flange under the actuation ofsaid roller.

22. In a'device of the character described,

the combination of a curved base, means for securing one end of aprinting plate thereto,

a member pivotally mounted concentrically with said base, a rollercarried thereby and adapted to engage with and bend said printing plateabout said base, a clamping member pivotally mounted adjacent the end ofsaid base, and means carried b said first-mentioned member toautomatically move said clamping member into engagement with said plateand into the path of said roller, whereby a ortion of said plate isdepressed at the comp etion of the bending operation to form a flange.

23. In a device of the character described, the combination of a curvedbase, means for securing one end of a printing plate thereto,

a member pivotally mounted concentrically with said base, a rollercarried thereby and adapted to engage with and bend said printing plateabout said base, a clamping member pivotally mounted adjacent the end01' said base, pivotally mounted dogs carried by said first-mentionedmember, and springs normally holding said dogs in position to move saidclamping member into engagement with said plate and into the path ofsaid roller, whereby a portion of said plate is depressed at thecompletion of the bending operation to form a flange.

JOSEPH S. DUNCAN. Witnesses:

WM. 0. BELT, M. A. KIDDIE.

